A new study that examines the laws and policies affecting the rights of sex workers across 48 countries in the Asia-Pacific region, has found criminalisation increases the vulnerability of sex workers.

The Sex Work and Law report found that criminalisation laws limit the rights of sex workers and also deny them access to health services, in particular scanning and treatment of HIV/AIDS.

The report is a joint-effort, issued by the United Nations Development Programme, the UN Population Fund and the Joint UN Programme on HIV/AIDS.

Julia Cabassi, the United Nations Population Fund's regional HIV adviser, told Radio Australia's Connect Asia program, researchers found that countries which had decriminalised sex laws had actually seen lower cases of HIV transmission among sex workers.

""Removing criminal penalties in New Zealand and also in the state of New South Wales in Australia, has really demonstrated that implementing work place health and safety standards and seeing this as a health issue, has been really effective in ensuring access to HIV and health care services," Ms Cabassi said.

Ms Cabassi says the decriminalisation of sex laws in developing countries around Asia and the Pacific is possible.

"What we've seen from examples in the region of 100 percent condom programming that's been particularly lorded as a success in Thailand, is that they've taken an approach that gives them an enabling environment in the sex industry," she said.

"What we need to do is involve health authorities in reviewing the occupational health and safety standards in the industry."

Free trade is the oldest argument in federal politics and the issue that literally defined the federation era but opposition exists to the TPP, courtesy of the Investor-State Dispute Resolutions clause.